


Like Toffee

by orphan_account



Category: Shameless (US)
Genre: Gen
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2011-12-23
Updated: 2011-12-23
Packaged: 2017-10-27 21:26:38
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,537
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/300205
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/orphan_account/pseuds/orphan_account
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>The Gallaghers have Liam back, and this time, for good. But the new knowledge of Ian's parentage still leaves a Gallagher-sized hole in the heart of one of the kids. A coda to episode 1x09: "But At Last Came a Knock".</p>
            </blockquote>





	Like Toffee

**Author's Note:**

  * For [ishafel](https://archiveofourown.org/users/ishafel/gifts).



> Thanks to my beta for all the work you did! And ishafel, I really loved writing this fic for you! The Gallaghers are one of my favorite families, and the family dynamic is the coolest thing to write. Thanks for requesting this! I hope you enjoy, and happy yuletide!

The night after Monica left, Debbie kept a close watch on Liam. She held him, in her arms, despite his weight, then later put him down and held his hand as they stacked blocks on the floor.

Fiona cleaned up the mess in the dining room, watching from the kitchen as Carl blew up something in his video game and Debbie giggled as Liam knocked down another tower.

"Why did you get the test done?" she asked, turning to Liam, slumped against the door frame.

Liam shrugged, and folded his arms over his chest. "Wouldn't you?"

"It doesn't matter where I came from. What matters is where I'm going." Fiona dried a plate and set it down with a clang.

"And where are you going?" Liam asked, moving to push in the chairs around the table.

"Nowhere." Fiona gestured at the living room with a plate. "Not while I have three little ones to take care of."

Lip shook his head. "It's not fair to you."

"It's not fair to any of us," Fiona pointed out. "But that's why you got the test done, isn't it?"

Lip looked confused. "What?"

Fiona nodded slightly, and Lip walked back into the kitchen.

"If it turned out you're weren't Frank's," Fiona continued, the kids didn't hear, "you would have left, wouldn't you? No reason to stay. You have no obligation here."

"Neither do you!"

"And what, leave Ian or Frank with the kids?" Fiona laughed bitterly.

Lip pursed his lips. "I don't know what I would have done."

"Yes, you do." Fiona ruffled Lip's hair. "You always have a plan."

Lip looked down, cheeks pink. "It doesn't matter now."

"Doesn't it?" Fiona placed the last plate in the cupboard and turned to face Lip.

"No." Lip shook his head. "It doesn't."

Fiona smiled, eyes full of tears. "Thank you," she whispered.

Lip reached out and pulled Fiona into his arms. "I should be thanking you. We all should be."

Fiona chuckled against his chest. "Do you think they'll turn out okay?"

"Even better," Lip assured her, kissing the top of her head.

"Fiona?"

Fiona stepped out of Lip's grasp. "Yes, Debbie?"

Debbie stood in the kitchen door way, grasping Liam's hand. "What happens now?"

Fiona glimpsed at the clock and puffed out a breath in surprise. "It's Liam's bed time, that's what happens now!" She leaned down to pick up Liam, stumbling as Debbie grasped tighter. "Debbie, let go!"

Debbie dropped Liam's hand with a scowl, glaring at Fiona as she carried Liam up the stairs, singing him a lullaby.

"What's up Deb-ster?" Lip kneeled down, playing with her scarf.

"That's not what I meant," Debbie mumbled.

"Well, can I help?"

"What happens now?" Debbie asked again.

"Debs, I don't understand. What's wrong? we got Liam back!"

"Is Ian still my brother?"

Lip sucked in a breath. _Shit._

"Of course, he's your brother!" Lip exclaimed, standing up and tugging at her pigtails.

Debbie frowned. "But not really."

Lip stared down at her, speechless.

"Debbie! Carl! 15 minutes until bed time!" Fiona cried.

"Aw man!" Carl yelled.

Ian stumbled down the kitchen stairs, his worn flannel pajamas hanging off his hips as he rubbed at his hair. "You guys hungry? Monica's lasagna tasted like shit."

Debbie shook her head, racing out of the room. Ian looked on, bewildered, as she stomped up the stairs.

"What's up with her? I thought she'd be happy that we have Liam." Ian pulled out a carton of milk from the fridge, opened it carefully, and leaned down to sniff at it. Wincing, he dumped it down the sink, throwing the carton out and scrawling "MILK" in huge capital letters on the white board in bright red marker.

"I think we screwed up." Lip sat at the counter, rubbing the back of his neck with his hands.

Ian snorted. "We're Gallaghers. It's in our blood." His smile fell suddenly. "Well, your blood. Maybe mine as well. If Monica really fucked one of Dad's - Frank's brothers, I guess I'm still a Gallagher, right?"

"Of course you're still a Gallagher!" Lip said.

Ian threw up his hands. "All right, chill. Jeez, what's everybody so worked up about?"

"We shouldn't have read the results at the table, in front of everybody," Lip clarified.

"We?" Ian raised his eyebrows. "I didn't open the envelope at the dinner table." He smirked. "But did you see Dad's face? And Monica's?"

"Did you see Debbie's?" Lip asked.

Ian's face fell. He set down his bowl of cereal and sighed, placing his head in his hands. "Yeah, I did," he said, after a moment. "So that's why she's mad?"

Lip nodded. "She asked me if you were still her brother."

"What?" Ian's mouth dropped open in shock. "Of course I am! Why would she think that?" Ian paced the kitchen floor, his hands stretched on the back of his neck. "I mean, she's a smart girl. If she knows lesbians can get married in a few states now, surely she knows that I'm still her brother, regardless of blood?"

"I agree, Debs is a smart girl." Lip chuckled. "Maybe even smarter than the both of us. But when it comes to family... " he trailed off. "You remember when Frank went missing? And then a body showed up and -"

"And she thought it was Dad," Ian finished. "I remember. God!" Ian rubbed at his face with his hands. "I hadn't seen her cry that hard in a long time."

"You could try the upstairs bathroom." Fiona climbed down the stairs into the kitchen, sitting at the bottom step.

Ian closed his eyes. "I'll go talk to her."

Lip stood up. "I'll go with you."

Ian opened his mouth to protest, then nodded. He turned to go up the stairs, but Fiona didn't budge. He met her gaze once, then dropped his eyes to the floor.

"You okay?" Fiona asked.

Ian nodded.

"Bull," Fiona spat. She softened the word with a smile. "But you will be." Standing up to hug him, she whispered, "You're still my little brother."

Ian hugged her tight.

After a few moments, Fiona pulled away and smoothed down Ian's hair. "Now get upstairs and talk to her before I kick your ass!"

Ian grinned, and with a mock salute, ran up the stairs.

Fiona watched him with a smile, then turned to Lip and raised her eyebrows.

Lip threw up his hands. "I'm going, I'm going!" he yelled, laughing as Fiona swatted at him.

In the hallway, Ian leaned his forehead against the bathroom door. "Debbie? I need to talk to you."

Behind the door, Lip heard the sound of sniffles, then the loud sound of someone blowing their nose.

"Go away!"

Ian put his hands on his hips. Lip stepped forward to intervene, but Ian shook his head.

"Deborah Gallagher!" Ian shouted. "I'm standing out here until you open this door, even if it takes all week!"

"Ahem!"

Ian turned to see Fiona in the door way of her room. He rolled his eyes.

"Even if it takes all night!" he amended.

Fiona crossed her arms. Ian sighed.

"Even if it takes an hour?" he tried.

Fiona nodded in agreement, shutting the door to her room.

A moment later, the bathroom door cracked open. Ian pushed slightly, and it swung back, revealing a red-faced Debbie.

"You'd wait a whole week?"

Ian nodded. "Yup. But I'm sure glad I don't have to."

Debbie smiled, playing with the edges of her bathrobe, but making no indication of moving. Ian sat on the floor in the hallway, motioning for Debbie to join him. With a heavy sigh, she flopped down next to him, resting her head on his shoulder.

"I know you're still my brother," she began. "But it just feels different."

"I know," Ian replied, bumping his head against hers softly.

"Family is more than blood, Debbie," Lip interjected. "Family is like... it's thicker than blood, it's — "

"Toffee."

The siblings turned to look at Carl in the hallway.

"What?" Lip asked.

"You said family is thicker than blood," Carl explained. "And toffee, you know, the chewy kind? It's really thick. And sticky. It sticks to everything."

Lip chuckled. "Good one!"

"So we're like toffee?" Debbie asked, confused.

"Yeah!" Ian said, catching on. "It's thicker than blood, sweet, sometimes sticky-"

"And sometimes a pain in the ass," Carl grumbled.

Hysterical laughter broke out in the hallway, and continued until Fiona stuck her head out of her room, pointing at her watch-less wrist before heading back into her room.

Ian wrapped an arm around Debbie. "Debs, I'm still Ian. I'm still your big brother."

Debbie smiled. "And I can still kick your ass at Monopoly."

Ian laughed. "That's true. And I doubt that will ever change." He looked up at Lip and smiled. Lip smiled back, kneeling down next to them.

"Debbie, I'm sorry for upsetting you. I shouldn't have done that in a public space, especially not that at time." He took her hand in his. "Forgive me?"

Debbie scowled. "What do I get out of it?"

Lip squinted, thinking hard. "First shower for the rest of the week?" he offered.

"Hey!" cried Ian and Carl.

Debbie smiled sweetly and shook Lip's hand. "Deal."


End file.
